Instructions

1

Connect to the default SQL Server instance using the SQLCMD utility by opening a DOS prompt and typing SQLCMD.
2

Declare a local variable, named "@mydate" of type "datetime" and hit the "Enter" key. The "@mydate" variable will hold the date to be converted. Add a return after the variable declaration. For example:

1>declare @mydate datetime
3

Retrieve the current date using the "getdate() Transact-SQL" function. Assign the current date value to the "@mydate" variable and add a return.

1>declare @mydate datetime

2>set @mydate=getdate()
4

Print "@mydate" to the screen using the print statement and type a hard return. Printing "@mydate" will display the variable's value before it is converted.

1>declare @mydate datetime

2>set @mydate=getdate()

3>print @mydate
5

Use the convert T-SQL statement to convert the value of "@mydate" to a "varchar(10)" data type. The "convert()" command takes three values: The data type to which the date should be converted, the variable to be converted and a style code. In this example, the style code "101" converts the "@mydate" variable to the data type" varchar(10)" in the format mm/dd/yy. Follow the convert statement with a hard return.

1>declare @mydate datetime

2>set @mydate=getdate()

3>print @mydate

4>select convert(varchar(10),@mydate,101)
6

Print "@mydate" to the screen using the print statement and type a hard return.

1>declare @mydate datetime

2>set @mydate=getdate()

3>print @mydate

4>select convert(varchar(10),@mydate,101)

5>print @mydate
7

Type the "GO" command and hit "Enter." The datetime value of "@mydate" will print to the screen in its original format (pre-conversion) and the "varchar(10)" value of "@mydate" will print to the screen in mm/dd/yy format (post-conversion).